When it Rains
It may be dangerous to go out in the rain...
But it may be even more dangerous to stay inside.
Just after noon on a sunny spring day at Friedkin University, a layer of strange clouds smudges across the sky, and a mysterious rain begins to fall. This isn't just a surprise spell of rain-this substance is slimy and gelatinous...and it's not letting up any time soon.
The rain spreads across the country, the hemisphere, and the globe, with growing ripples of panic and paranoia gathering behind it. Is it a natural, undocumented phenomenon? A chemical weapon? Some kind of bacterial contagion? As fear turns theories into conspiracies and no clear answers are given, factions start to form between those who have been exposed to the rain and those who stayed dry. Who is safe? Who is marked? Who is dangerous, and who is not?
The rain keeps falling, and at Friedkin University, the sanctuary of the campus bookstore swiftly becomes a dangerous battlefield. Is it man versus nature? Or man versus man?
When it Rains is a perfect read for fans of Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Nick Cutter, or books like One Rainy Night by Richard Laymon, Bird Box by Josh Malerman, and Rain by Joe Hill, and even movies like Night of the Living Dead and The Thing.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing-Tales from the Darkest Depths.
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Community Reviews
What do I mean by that? The author nailed how humanity reacts to the unknown. The confusion that leads to fear, fear that spawns rumors, rumors that are taken as the gospel truth which results in anger, accusation and violence.
In the spirit of full disclosure, the amazing publisher of this story, Crystal Lake Publishing, generously mailed me a physical copy of this novella to see if I'd like to read and review it.
The story opens up on a college campus in Greenville, SC on a day that had absolutely no chance of rain in the forecast. We zoom in a bit to the campus bookstore - this is where the bulk of our adventure takes place. The bookstore is fairly busy with customers and when the rain starts falling, others nearby take shelter inside the store.
The rain - it's not water - it's a foul-smelling, slimy goo. The surprise "shower" that starts in Greenville spreads across the entire globe. Fear grows and spreads because no one knows what this rain is made up of - is it safe? Here is where the brilliance of the author's storytelling really shines.
The atmosphere was spot on - it gave me the same feelings as I had when I read one of my other favorite novellas of all time, Stephen Kings The Mist. It wasn't just the plot and atmosphere that kept me turning those pages, it was also the characters. The author wrote them all in such a way that I quickly found myself invested in them as a group and as individuals.
I honestly can't decide where I stood the whole time I was reading this one - what was I scared of most? I was equal parts scared of the unknown as I was to know what the rain was and what caused it.
Fans of Stephen King, Josh Malerman, Richard Thomas and Daniel Barnett would love this one!
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